Latest Articles
Research ArticleImpact of Immunoglobulin Isotype and Epitope on the Functional Properties of Vibrio cholerae O-Specific Polysaccharide-Specific Monoclonal AntibodiesImmunity to the severe diarrheal disease cholera is largely mediated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-specific antibodies. However, the properties and protective mechanism of functionally relevant antibodies have not been well defined.
CommentaryAdding Another Piece to the Puzzle of Why NTM Infections Are Relatively Uncommon despite Their Ubiquitous NatureSince nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are pervasive in the environment and NTM infections are relatively uncommon, underlying hereditary or acquired host susceptibility factors should be sought for in most NTM-infected patients. To facilitate identification of underlying risk factors, it is useful to classify NTM disease into skin-soft tissue infections, isolated NTM lung disease, and extrapulmonary viscera-disseminated disease...
Research ArticleInfectious Clones Produce SARS-CoV-2 That Causes Severe Pulmonary Disease in Infected K18-Human ACE2 MiceTo develop COVID-19 countermeasures, powerful research tools are essential. We produced a SARS-COV-2 reverse genetic (RG) infectious clone toolkit that will benefit a variety of investigations.
Research ArticleMarkers of Polyfunctional SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Convalescent PlasmaConvalescent plasma has been deployed globally as a treatment for COVID-19, but efficacy has been mixed. Better understanding of the antibody characteristics that may contribute to its antiviral effects is important for this intervention as well as offer insights into correlates of vaccine-mediated protection.
Editor's Pick Research ArticleIntraspecies Transcriptional Profiling Reveals Key Regulators of Candida albicans Pathogenic TraitsInfectious fungal species are often treated uniformly despite clear evidence of genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity being widespread across strains. Identifying the genetic basis for this phenotypic diversity is extremely challenging because of the tens or hundreds of thousands of variants that may distinguish two strains.
Research ArticleVertical Transmission at the Pathogen-Symbiont Interface: Serratia symbiotica and AphidsInsects have evolved various mechanisms to reliably transmit their beneficial bacterial symbionts to the next generation. Sap-sucking insects, including aphids, transmit symbionts by endocytosis of the symbiont into cells of the early embryo within the mother’s body.
Research ArticleImproving the Precision of Base Editing by Bubble Hairpin Single Guide RNABase editors are double-strand-break (DSB)-free genome editing tools and have been widely used in diverse living systems. However, it is reported that these tools can cause substantial off-target editing.
ObservationCOVID-19 Severity Is Associated with Differential Antibody Fc-Mediated Innate Immune FunctionsA state of hyperinflammation and increased complement activation has been associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms that contribute to this phenomenon remain mostly unknown.
Research ArticleDimer Asymmetry and Light Activation Mechanism in Brucella Blue-Light Sensor Histidine KinaseBacteria employ two-component systems (TCSs) to sense and respond to changes in their surroundings. At the core of the TCS signaling pathway is the multidomain sensor histidine kinase, where the enzymatic activity of its output domain is allosterically controlled by the input signal perceived by the sensor domain.
Editor's Pick Research ArticleIn Vivo Antigen Expression Regulates CD4 T Cell Differentiation and Vaccine Efficacy against Mycobacterium tuberculosis InfectionTuberculosis, caused by Mtb, constitutes a global health crisis of massive proportions, and the impact of the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is expected to cause a rise in tuberculosis-related deaths. Improved vaccines are therefore needed more than ever, but a lack of knowledge on protective immunity hampers their development.